Searching for the Rainbow...One Colour at a Time

January Ramble...

2012-01-16T12:22:00.000Z

Happy 2012!

I hope you enjoyed Vlogmas...for those of you who watched. If you didn't you can pop over to my YouTube channel and take a look (Dan is in a few of those, so for those of you who are curious about the bf- you'll see him there). I intend on getting Dan to record me doing a few acting bits so I can post them on my YouTube but I haven't quite got around to it yet, that's the problem with dark nights- not too many hours available to film.

It occurred to me that I mentioned a while back about having new acting headshots but I never got around to posting them so here are a few;

Photographer: Christoper Mann

Back in December I was in a production of Guys & Dolls with the Lantern Arts Centre (a local theatre company). It was so much fun, I go to play one of the hot box girls and somehow managed to be ill over the entire production but that always happens when I do any performances in December.

Yes: Your eyes see correctly- I am wearing a Snowman onesie :D

As I enjoyed Guys and Dolls so much, I auditioned for the LAC's next show last week, they're going to be staging a play called 'The Man Who Came to Dinner' which is an excellent comedy; when we were reading the script in the auditions we had to stop so many times because people were laughing so hard. I got cast in the production as Miss. Preen and start rehearsals this Wednesday, I can't wait. The show will take place at the end of March.

I'm off to meet my friend's new kitten now, a ginger tabby cat called Maximus. Until next time...

Happy December...Vlogmas!

2011-12-04T15:45:00.000Z

Howdy Doody,

It's been a long time and yes, I have missed you as much as you have missed me :p

Anyway...I am going to be taking part in VLOGMAS on youtube which means I will be vlogging every day of December up until Christmas. Yeeeeeey!

If you want to watch my vlogmas videos you can find them on my youtube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/messyhairandoddsocks

Please say hello if you stop by to follow my journey through December.

x x x

Check Me Out!

2011-09-21T23:25:00.000+01:00

Sorry, no overly exciting post for folks today...unless you consider my website an excitement?!

Anyways, I made a website to promote myself as a performer. As the title of this post suggests, you should check it out here: www.kerrymariewroe.moonfruit.com.

Feedback is very welcome- In fact, it's encouraged.

Happy Viewing.

K :)

Run Kerry...Run!

2011-07-31T16:59:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was my 10K run for the Race for Life at Clapham Common, it was a really hot day to run that distance in the heat...but, I did it. I finished the 10k in 1hr and 8min with a rather painful blister on the inside of my right foot and some very swollen hands- I found that rather strange but I put it down to the heat and dehydration.

It was hard work, but totally worth it. I found it really difficult towards the last Kilometre and then three girls that were jogging behind me were singing their out of breath renditions of Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' and S Club 7's 'Bring it all Back'...needless to say, I joined in and that was enough encouragement to get through the last hurdle.

Take 1min off the time, it had just passed 1min on the timer when I crossed the START line.

My Race for Life Sponsor page will remain open for a couple of weeks, please show your support for my efforts and give what you can, you can do this by visiting my fundraising page here.

And now, a much sadder tale...

Dear cybershot, we had good times, bad times, and lots of laughing at Fudge times. There were moments where you shocked me with your blinding flashy powers, but all the way...you stood by me and helped me capture some wonderful memories. Even after the time I dropped you and almost broke your lens- you kept on fighting through, and the time when little Jake dropped you on the floor. But sadly, your time- our time has come to an end. Oh, how I will miss you, and no matter what the other gadgets in technology heaven tell you...you were my favourite (until I find my new favourite that is). May you remember our fond times together, forever...and, may you rest in peace. Goodbye my beloved camera!

And, of course...a more positive note. Here is a photo of Fudge sleeping :)

Things can only get better...

2011-07-21T11:26:00.000+01:00

This has without a doubt been one of the most difficult weeks of my life in years and it's only Thursday...I refuse to let the week's event's get the better of me. And when things are bad- I live with the comforting thought that surely they could always be worse.

So, just remember this...

...Even if they are your upstairs neighbour and have caused a leak in your bathroom, and ruined your electrical wiring for the 5th time in 2 months!!!

It Looks Like a Transformer...

2011-07-14T18:43:00.001+01:00

I am currently waiting for my friend Stef- fanny (ha ha!) to come and pick me up so I can go to hers and watch HP7 Part 1...OMG I know, I totally haven't seen it yet and need to watch it before the last EVER film comes out in the cinemas TOMORROW...can you believe it?!...Me neither.

I've been uber (German word for super...geek!) tired this week, hence the above photie.

Karra came to town on Monday night and we went to Thorpe Park on Tuesday, it was a wicked day and the queue's weren't too bad so we managed to get on everything. I felt pretty sick for most of the day as we had donuts for breakfast and then had a day of roller coasters...must remember not to do that in future. Oh, and we saw a car in the car park that looked like a transformer.

These fruit bowls look really good...I could just eat them off my computer screen. (I didn't try...honest) :p

I'm currently scheduling new actor's headshots for August as I have an audition coming up in September, I'm really looking forward to it as the photographer's work is brilliant and it's a guy I went to college with so I think that might help me not feel so un- photogenic, you can check his work out here. I think I looked really fat in the last photo's I had so I want new ones.

Today, I am also generally having a fat day!

That's the Way We Get By...

2011-07-07T15:34:00.000+01:00

Classy lady, I know!...Fudge is even classier- he ate this afterwards!

The weather is totally bipolar today, one minute there's a monsoon; the next the sun is beaming. It's driving me up the wall, it's my day off work and I can't plan or really do much for fear of drowning if I leave the flat.

I heard back from the "Chess" auditions, I didn't get a principal role...it seems that they've cast it a little older than my playing age. I'm still going to be doing the show though, which is cool.

A great incentive has been going on at work recently, in fact it just ended and I'm waiting to hear who won it. The prize is a one night stay at the Splash Landings Hotel for up to four people, with two day entry into Alton Towers theme park with ultimate fastrack passes too...so, pretty nifty prize (it's worth around £500 in total). I was top of the incentive for a while until it was revealed that the original report was incorrect and I was in fact top lead with another work colleague. The incentive was supposed to end on Thursday 30th July but we drew so they continued it for just the both of us until Tuesday. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to win, but more than anything I just want the whole thing to be over, it started off fun but now it's driving me insane; sometimes I wish I wasn't so competitive. And I also feel a bit let down by how mis-leading the original reports were.

I'm anxiously waiting for Lucy to send me my handcrafted phone case at the moment too, it's gonna be blingtastic. If you want to check out Lucy's handmade cases click here. There's currently around a month wait for orders as she attaches each little rhinestone, gem and decoration herself. I really really want mine now...so impatient I am. I requested a turquoise/ teal color scheme with flowers, be mine love hearts and the Eiffel tower- oui oui?!

I get to see Karra on Tuesday, it was her birthday last week so we're having a belated celebration and going to Thorpe Park. I used to see her all the time and we used to volunteer at Wildlife Aid together but she left me to go and work with the big cats at Longleat Safari Park (damn her). I'm really looking forward to it, it's gonna be a day filled with mischievous antics I'm sure. If you want to see Karra's blog you can click here.

I'm on the left & Karra on the right

And finally...

I really want to learn how to do this waterfall braid, it's uh-mazing! (image courtesy of google).

I REALLY like Lilt, it seems increasingly difficult to get hold of these days...

Le Other Blog

2011-06-30T14:04:00.000+01:00

A couple of posts back I mentiond that I had another blog for a while, I will no longer be using that blog but I though you might want to take a look at it anyway, all future posts WILL be posted on THIS blog. You can find my old blog here: http://www.messyhairandoddsocks.blogspot.com/

Lately I've started seeing, things it takes a little faith to believe in...

2011-06-29T22:28:00.000+01:00

So, I literally just got back from my principal audition for 'Chess' the Musical, the singing part went well-ish but my left knee was trembling as I was so nervous which was rather embarrassing. Will probably hear how the audition went by Friday or Saturday as the next rehearsal is Monday...I'll let you know. If you want to know more about the musical you can click here, I'd try and explain it but it's a rather complex storyline.

It was a lovely Sunny Sunday this week and I managed to get out of work early, before dinner I went to meet some friends in the park and enjoy the rays, I got there before the gang though so was temporarily joined by the likes of Diana Vickers, Taylor Swift, The Wombats, Queen etc...sometimes I try and wonder what I used to do before I had an iPod, funnily enough- I can't remember.

On Monday Dan and I went food shopping and decided to make cupcakes afterwards, I usually make them alone but Dan decided he wanted to join me this time....he threw sprinkles on me and all over the kitchen floor, needless to say he ended up on his hands and knees with a dust pan and brush. I'm not bitter or anything but his decoration looked better than mine and "he's never done it before"; personally I think he waits until I leave the flat and then perfects his cake decorating skills!

Let me know if you want on....I'll mail it to you :p

That's it for now, oh! And Fudge says Hi :)

True Dat!

2011-06-25T12:39:00.000+01:00

True Dat!

"I believe everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together". - Marilyn Monroe

Yes!

Some Inspirational Mush...

2011-06-18T15:38:00.000+01:00

I went out on a limb this week....since I completed my degree in Dance and Drama I have only done one show with one of my local amateur dramatic society's (LAC, Lantern Arts Centre), and that was "Hello, Dolly!" back in December, I loved it so much and can't wait for their coming show this winter "Guys and Dolls"- which I am really hoping to get a lead for. I was trawling the interwebs on Sunday and feeling all sorry for myself that I hadn't been part of a production in a while nor can I pursue Performance professionally right now due to the fact I have responsibilities and bills to pay, (being independent sucks sometimes).

Anyways, the whole feeling sorry for myself also paid off as I came across Kingston Vale Operatic and Dramatic Society (KVODS); On Sunday when I discovered them I emailed them to see how I could get involved...come Monday they hadn't responded, being the impatient person that I am, I took another look on their website only to find that, THAT very evening they were having pre- audition rehearsals for their next production of "Chess", the rehearsal began at 8pm and I discovered this at 7:03pm. I got all frantic and jumped in the shower before throwing on some clothes and nervously repeating to my boyfriend, "Shit, I need to sing to audition for them, I can't just turn up and sing in front of randoms...is it rude if I just turn up even thought they haven't replied to my email?!"...whilst applying my make-up.

I got there and very coyly approached people like a nervous little girl, people seemed to act as if it was a regular thing and were polite and friendly. I sat down with everyone whilst the were having a vocal warm up, thinking I was off the hook and had just managed to blend in enough not be seen as 'the new girl', at that point I was approached by a lady that was a member of the KVODS committee and she said, "you're new, do you want to do you new member audition now or next time?", "shit!" I though, but I decided to just get it over with, if I left two days before the next meeting I'd only get myself more worked up about the whole thing.

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there!"

My audition went well and I was welcomed into the KVODS with open arms, I will be in the cast of the show "Chess" that will take place in October, the lead auditions are in the next two weeks and I will at least attempt a lead role. I shall update you in the future I'm sure. The moral of this blog post: 'Feeling sorry for yourself gets you nowhere...only you have the power to change the things you are unhappy with'. Watch this space!

Kerry Wroe....But you can call me Bob! (if you like)

2011-06-01T17:33:00.002+01:00

It's recently come to my attention that I haven't posted anything on this blog for a while...I did have another blog 'Messy Hair and Odd Socks' for a short time, the title described me down to a "T" and the blog was based on the more superficial things that I like in life: I now decide that with regards to whether or not the things I like are superficial it wouldn't really matter which blog I write them on as it's my blog anyways.

A lot of the time I find that I'm not necessarily inspired to write words about a specific subjects just for the sake of posting a 'regular' blog, I find that more often than not I'm inspired by, photo's I've taken, random thoughts in my head or images I've discovered on the interwebs- this made me consider getting a tumblr due to the nature of how that site works, but in the end I decided that this is the place for me. I may post often, weeks or months continuously...I can't really say- it's just going to happen as it happens, my post may contain little words, images or content, I'm okay with that as it shall just be an expression of how I'm feeling right at that moment. So right now, this is what I'm finding inspiring (not sure if 'inspiration' is the correct term)...however, the following are things that have caught my attention and have been on my mind as of late?!!!

Mr. Fudge (Photo: Lizzi Roche)

Egypt has been pretty much haunting my thoughts recently, The photo above is of the hotel where Dan and I wish to stay and are currently trying to save so we can go this September. At the moment it doesn't look very likely but it would be much appreciated if you can cross your fingers for us! :)

"The more days go by, the more I realize we have to take the good over the bad from everything we do, make mistakes but not regrets...take them and learn for the days that are yet to come"

I decided to 'Ombre' my hair, probably a decade behind on this trend but I didn't really do it for that purpose- I was starting to get rather bored with my hair whilst I'm trying to let it grow so I lightened the ends to make it a touch more interesting.

I'm not going to go in to too much detail but let's just say that my new job now makes me want to visit Alton Towers...A LOT!!!

And finally, the gym (quite literally) opens on 16th June and I can't wait, I'm running the Race for Life on 30th July and I'm feeling rather out of shape at the moment so I'm really looking forward to getting back into shape and feeling a lot healthier.

If you would like to visit my race for life page you can click HERE.

It's all so Quiet...shh, shh!

2010-10-18T14:13:00.000+01:00

I've not been at Wildlife Aid since just before the sponsored walk as I was ill last week for my shift. I got there this week to see Wol the Tawny Owl in the Small Flight. His right eye had sadly popped after the hemorrhaging and he had to have it removed; post operation he is now in the Flight waiting to be released back in the wild after a couple of weeks of observation. It's wonderful news as he is very lucky to have made it through his ordeal.

After checking on Wol I got to work, it was very cold outside so I thought it'd be best to get the outside animals cleaned and fed first. June and I cleaned and weighed the remaining hedgehogs, most of them have been released back into the wild but some of them have had to stay a little longer so we can ensure they are a healthy weight to survive the winter. The hogs were grumpy as ever as we had to wake them up to be weighed. They did however appreciate the food feast!

After making the rounds through all the pigeon's (most of the patients that are remaining at the hospital at the moment), I popped into the Small Aviary to feed the three Collared Doves that were in there. One of them was very small and rather friendly...he was prodding my hand with his beak so I grabbed some seed and he started to eat from my hand. The other two doves looked rather sad and they has some feathers missing, it would appear that they'd been attacked by a cat or dog, hopefully their feathers will grow back soon.

We finished up really quickly at the hospital today due to there being so few patients in comparison to when I first began volunteering, it's so strange- every cage and hutch and pen used to be full and now there are less than half of them, even most of the squirrels are gone, it's just the last three of the orphans. They're at the turning point just as they go wild so they will be up for release soon.

Wildlife Aid Sponsored Walk 2010!

2010-10-10T16:22:00.000+01:00

Yesterday my somewhat hungover boyfriend Dan, Myself and a large handful of wonderful Wildlife Aid Volunteers ventured out to Surrey Hills to endure the challenge of a 10 mile walk up Box Hill; I'd never been or heard of this place before so had no idea what was in store for us.

I'd been a little ill a couple of days prior to the walk and was still feeling a little 'peaky' the morning of the walk when Dan and I arose at a lovely 6am....my first thoughts were it was "surely illegal on a Saturday" and "It doesn't matter if you're ill Kerry, you have over £300 pledged in sponsors so you WILL do this"...I am very stubborn and determined!

We got to Box Hill School, which was our base camp for around 8:20am, the train journey and lift from Ron had been somewhat entertaining for me to witness Dan's full extent of self pity on his hangover. Needless to say I wasn't very sympathetic- any flicker of sympathy from my direction was sarcasm!...So we geared up to get started with our maps, directions and water bottles in hand.

The start was refreshing and we were moving swiftly, I was having a little trouble with my chest wheezing but could feel the fresh air getting through to it, it wasn't long into the walk when we came to a couple of hundred steps leading to the top of the hill. The steps were in groups of around 15 and some of them even a foot or so high. It was tedious, difficult and sweaty. It took the whole group around 30minutes to make it up all the steps to the top of the hill, the worst part was over and we all grabbed a drink at the 'drinks station' and took a moment to get our breath back. I could feel my heart beating in my head and there were beads of sweat dripping down the sides of my face, I felt really gross, but had a great sense of comfort knowing that the most challenging part was over. As I caught back my breath, my sinuses and my chest felt really clear and I was convinced that the altitude had flushed away all feelings of illness....it was wonderful for me but sadly, Dan was feeling really ill- he explained to me that he needed to vomit in order for his body to feel better but his body wouldn't let him. I tried to encourage him to drink some water and was adamant that by the end of the walk he would feel much better. It was time to move along on the walk.

We walked through the forest on the hills taking brief moments here and there to absorb the scenery and great views, we saw rivers, horses, cyclists, bridges, churches, stepping stones, rope swings etc. As we went on, people became increasingly relaxed and we were all engaging in little snippets of conversation in between discussing how long we'd walked as we passed some stunning houses in the quiet village. It wasn't long before we came across Mike Berwick who was our next 'drink station' and he informed us that we hadn't far to go and that he'd guilted passers by into donating their loose change into one of the charity pots on the table.

Dan

The end was near and Mike's encouragement had given everyone that last bit of boost that was needed. We clambered on in the group and before we knew it we were passing the pub that was right by base camp as the 5 mile walkers waved us by. So off it was to sign back in. It was over. In total it took us 4hrs and 15min. It was a great and very tiring experience which had cured my germs. Mike did note that it could come back with a vengeance, I assured him that I'd be fine and that I was feeling top notch....clearly I was running off naivety and endorphins. Later that night it hit me like a brick; runny nose, sore throat, temperature and stinging eyes, but I'll get over it with lots of ibuprofen.

Photo: Mike Berwick

The walk was a great success and everyone who took part should be very proud of themselves :]

Until next year....

Keeper Experience: Monkeys

2010-09-29T21:25:00.003+01:00

Today I arrived at the Zoo all bright and bushy tailed prepared to tend to some mischievous monkeys. I approached Maz (the monkey lady) and asked her where to start; my first task was to clean out the very large enclosure of 9 very chirpy Spider Monkeys. I was shown where all the cleaning materials were and quickly got to the task at hand. It was hard work dodging all the ropes and dangling straps inside the enclosure, it was rather sweaty in there too- I had to clamber underneath straps, ropes and shelves and dispose of all the dirty hay that was at the base of the enclosure whilst scrubbing monkey mess off the walls.

Spider Monkeys

During the time I was cleaning, the Spider Monkeys were sectioned off into the 3rd part of their enclosure whilst I cleaned out the remaining 2 sections. I could hear lots of climbing, swinging and cheeky little chuckles as they watched me with curious eyes. I popped over to say hello so they knew I wasn't just intruding on them. Suddenly I had several hands and tails reaching out at me from the bars for contact- they were very sweet and kept touching me. I'm sure if I'd have had a few bananas in my pocket they'd have got to them with their very long, impressively strong tails.

Squirrel Monkey

After my brief encounter with the Spider Monkeys I prepared the feed for the Squirrel Monkeys, they have a fruit and vegetable feast chopped into small chunks, then I headed off to have my lunch.

My experience with the Monkey's Section was short lived as Maz had a 'Keeper for the Day' with her in the afternoon; So I returned to Presentations for the rest of the day. The routine was similar to that of yesterday but this time I got to assist with a few more training/ stimuli sessions. I got to help train the Coati and Binturong to get used to being handled in order for them to be introduced to visitors of the zoo. I also fed a Meercat named 'Fidgit' whilst he sat on my lap; Fidget very much lived up to his name and at the end of the day as we did our PM feed rounds we gave Fidget his mouse and left the enclosure; but not before we witnessed him devouring it, along with the lovely graphic sound of him braking it's spine with an almighty CRUNCH!!

Meercats

Keeper Experience: Presentations.

2010-09-27T22:08:00.002+01:00

I arrived at the zoo this morning after a somewhat tedious bus journey feeling excited and anxious as to what I was going to be doing today.

I was put on the 'Presentations' section which is the area where the animals are trained and influenced to behave in certain ways- I'm not one for supporting the whole 'performing monkeys' idea but I was quick to learn that the animals are encouraged by positive reinforcement which means that they are rewarded for good behaviour. At some zoo's this 'good behaviour' would be in the form of tricks; however at Chessington they are encouraged to 'perform' natural behaviour that would occur in the wild, this is to ensure that the animals are maintaining their natural instincts and also to increase exercise so the animals remain healthy.

Google Images

The first animals I came across were rats, hardly exotic or rare animals but one that I'd never been in close proximity with before. My first task was to help with the cleaning, so I cleaned the cages of the two male rats Bill and Ben; they were very friendly and sat on my shoulder and nuzzled my hair whilst I cleaned out their beds.

Google Images

After cleaning the rats, Megan and I moved swiftly on and got onto the AM feeds and cleaning. I was then introduced to three very cheeky Coati's and a Binturong named Ezzy (short for Esmeralda). You may know the Binturong better as the 'Bearcat', it's a lovely creature with a long, strong tail, long cat- like whiskers and a rather bristly coat to the touch; Ezzy smelt like popcorn which was rather interesting and certainly the best smelling animal that I've ever come across.

Google Images

The Coati originates from Southern America and is known to the Americans as somewhat of a pest to the same degree that us British people view Foxes, they have the same kind of behaviour and will scavenge for food in people's bins when it is scarce. The most fascinating facts that I learnt about these creatures is that their noses can bend in any direction for up to 60 degrees and they can rotate their feet around completely backwards to aid their grip when they're hanging from trees.

Google Images

The morning moved quickly as we worked our way around the task at hand; next up were the Lemurs, they were ring tailed Lemurs and father and son. Megan handed me some food to give them from the outside cage so I could distract them whilst she locked them safely outside whilst we cleaned the inside of their enclosure. Although these particular Lemurs didn't appear threatening, it is in their nature to be very territorial, they're rather springy characters that can be tricky to catch so it was best for them to be kept separate from us whilst we cleaned their home.

Google Images

After the feeds I got the glorious tasks of preparing tomorrow's feeds which consisted of chopping copious amounts of fruit and veg for what looked nothing short of a delicious feast. By the time I'd finished chopping and embedded a very pungent celery smell into my fingers it was time for lunch. When we returned I got to assist with a Parrot training session. Larry was an Amazon Parrot with green feathers and a very distinctive yellow blob on his head. He was very friendly and happy to escape from Mo for 10 minutes or so- Mo is another parrot that lives in the enclosure with Larry but Mo has a tendency to skwark in a very high pitched manner.

Google Images

It was presentations time, this is where I was introduced to Priscilla, a male Kookaburra with a beautiful blue tail. He's recently recovered from surgery so his flight muscles had become weak; the presentation was a training session to encourage him to increase his flight ability as a means to rebuild the muscles that haven't been exercised for a while. The Kookaburra is a member of the Kingfisher family and possess binocular vision, it also has a film that it can use as 'goggles' whilst fishing for food in water. In it's native habitat a Kookaburra would hunt snakes and kill them by either 'dive bombing' or bashing it back and forth into a rock. The kookaburra would feed off that snake for 2 whole days.

The day was whizzing by and I got to end it on a wonderful note- by assisting at Sealion Bay, I got to witness Liza trying to build a rapport with one of the newest Sealions; Ariel, she is currently a year hold and has a lot of character, I got to help her feed and clean out her home. See was very happy to receive her mounds of fish and continue playing in the bay with her ball.

Tomorrow....Monkeys!

Want to Get Involved?...

2010-09-20T15:06:00.000+01:00

Wildlife Aid are going to be holding a sponsored walk on 9th October 2010 to raise funds for the charity and ensure that we can continue to rescue, rehabilitate and release orphaned and injured British Wildlife. The walk will be based in Surrey- Families, Friends and Dogs welcome, it's for a great cause and a good way to get in some exercise. There will be a choice for you to take part in either a 5 or 10 mile walk, the 10 mile walk will start at 9am and the 5 mile walk will start at 10am. The start and finish line is Box Hill school in Mickleham, Dorking. To see how you can get involved, information is on the poster below. Alternatively you can download the poster and sponsorship forms on the Wildlife Aid Website HERE.

Please do what you can to get involved. If you can not make the sponsored walk but would like to make a donation to Wildlife Aid you can do so on the website www.wildlifeaid.org.uk

I will be taking part in the walk, hopefully I will be able to drag the boyfriend along. Let me know if you will be coming in the comments below. See you at the event :]

Furry and Feathery Friends

2010-09-14T21:21:00.001+01:00

I've been blogging a lot about a beautiful Tawny Owl that is currently a patient at Wildlife Aid (the one that was hit by 2 cars and has severe hemorrhaging)...well I have wonderful news. After an inspection from the vet he should be able to be released back into the wild in around a month or so when his eye completely heals. In the mean time he's flying, eating well and on his own and he has been moved to a 'Hacking House' which is one of the larger flights at Wildlife Aid. Below you can see a dramatic improvement from previous images, he seems pleased to be back outdoors and I'm thrilled that he's going to be well :]

Photo: Sue Peters

We also recently had a fox at Wildlife Aid that Mike Berwick had rescued, it had terrible mange and the fox was rather miserable, after treatment at the Wildlife Aid hospital he improved dramatically and got released on Monday.

Photo: Sue Peters

Off the topic of Wildlife Aid but still animal related, surprise, surprise....I got a beautiful bunny rabbit! He's name is Fudge, he's currently 12 weeks old an he is a Rex breed- he is highly mischievous, playful and he runs around the sofa like a mentalist but he makes me laugh. Oh, and he likes to lick people's feet and hands which is rather strange, but amusing. Here he is...

On 27th September I start a week of work experience at Chessington Zoo where I will get to spend time with a huge array of wild animals and experience their behaviour. Some of the animals that will be there I have only ever seen photo's of and dreamt about. I must make you aware that I am only a believer in zoos that focus on conservation issues and support their animals in the best way possible to ensure that they can continue to live safely in our world... I am very excited and will be updating you when I start my work experience.

Please note: Wildlife Aid does not condone captivity for any reason. Any activity based around captive animals is purely of my own intention and in my personal opinion is good for both conservation and education reasons.

Go Beyond the Everyday...

2010-09-10T22:05:00.001+01:00

Recently I posted a link on my blog to a video that I had posted as a competition entry to win a 2 week trip to Namibia to work with wild animals: hosted by Land Rover and Biosphere Expiditions. A short while after it occurred to me that I was not eligible to be a competition candidate as I do not posses a drivers licence, this was a huge disappointment as I am hugely passionate about wildlife and I really want to help make a difference.

However; Land Rover were impressed by my enthusiasm about spreading the word as to how important endangered animals are to the environment- they have asked me to host the Namibia trip on my blog as a means to still be involved.

If you have not yet seen my video, here WAS my competition entry to show how I 'Go Beyond'

The competition and voting closes on 23rd September 2010 and Land Rover will narrow the video entries down to a top 15. From that 15, 5 people will be selected to take a 2 week trip to Namibia to volunteer with some of the worlds most precious wildlife to see that species such as Leopards, Cheetas and Caracal can continue to exist in our world.

To view the competition details, entries and cast your vote, click here: Go Beyond the Everyday

To see the promotional competition video click here.

There is still time for YOU to enter the competition and show the world what you do to 'Go Beyond', If you're interested in updates about the competition and the Namibia trip. Watch this space! :]

R.I.P George

2010-08-30T20:35:00.002+01:00

I've mentioned George in a couple of blog posts, he was a permanent resident of Wildlife Aid as he was a blind Pheasant, it was unsuitable for him to be in the wild. Everyone cared for him dearly and he used to get spoilt with volunteers bringing in apples for him. Sadly, a fox escaped (a patient with a wounded leg) and killed George. Nature has a cruel way of creeping up and it's hard fate to accept, but we must move along. George lived a long and happy live; myself and I am sure everyone else from Wildlife Aid will miss him very much.

On a much more positive note, the owl from my last post that got hit by TWO cars is doing much better, he is eating more, his right eye is beginning to open up and he loves being made a fuss over. I must admit I do feel much fondness for the tawny and I know that we're not really supposed to get attached in this line of work. All I can do now is hope that in time he will recover enough to be returned to the wild.

Photo: Sue Peters

Please spare a though for George <3

Opportunity Knocks!

2010-08-28T21:30:00.001+01:00

It has recently come to my attention that I am not a suitable candidate for this competition so I have asked for my entry to be removed. Thank you for your support :]

I am currently a contestant in a competition being held by Land Rover to win a 2 week trip to Namibia to work with wild animals. The competition closes on 23rd of September 2010 and this is me making a plea for your vote.

The contest is called 'Go Beyond' and the purpose of it is to create a video lasting no longer the 60 seconds to suggest why you should win one of the 5 places to Namibia that are up for grabs.

You can see my contest entry here, I go beyond by volunteering at Wildlife Aid- Go Beyond the Everyday! you must rate my video in order to cast your vote- Please watch and rate 5 stars.

Thank you for your support! :]

All things Tawny and Tiny

2010-08-23T18:00:00.011+01:00

It was mid morning at Wildlife Aid, also known as tea break time for Hospital 2 and Top Barn volunteers. I'd baked some scrummy rolled oat cookies for everyone so I decided to offer them to ICU before I went for a cuppa, needless to say I got distracted by all the wonderful baby animals as I handed out oaty cookie goodness.

Sue was about to force feed a beautiful Tawny Owl that had sadly been hit by not one, but two cars, she kindly asked if I wanted to help....OF COURSE I DID!

Photo By Karra Rothery

As he was injured he didn't seem to have much of an appetite, Sue held him firmly and he was very relaxed, I opened his beak and tilted his head back as I tried to feed him chunks of chopped mice, he seemed to struggle a little so I had to chop the mice into smaller pieces and put it at the back of his throat as a means to persuade him to eat. It took a bit of encouragement at first but he seemed to enjoy it after the first few bites. Then Lucy had a look at him, gave him his treatment and we put him back to bed; he was very calm and peaceful. I'd never chopped up chick or mice, nor force fed before so it was an experience and I felt a great sense of adrenalin as I fed the Tawny.

Photo By Karra Rothery

The Owl was hit by a car in the road and the people behind the car who hit it got out of their car to rescue it, but not before another car had another clip at it. The Owl's right eye was very closed and tender and we're hoping that it will heal with some ointment and time. I'm sure he'll be very well in Lucy's (The Vet Nurse) hands.

Still not having managed to make it up to grab a cup of tea I was introduced to the very teenage squirrels, they were at the point just before they become "evil" and ready for the wild so they were, friendly, curious and very mischievous. There were a large handful of them all crawling around on one anothers' heads and being playful. I wanted to get a photo and Mike said they were friendly enough for me to open the cage as they're just curious more than anything....Well I got a few good snaps, one of them loved the camera so much that it decided to crawl onto it, then onto me- I made a friend, so it would seem.

At the end of my shift (after finally making it back to Hospital 2) I popped by ICU to see if there were any bits and bobs to be cleaned before we finished. I cleaned and fed a little cheeky Red Breasted Robyn who had an injured wing, he was chirpy and full of character so no doubt it'll be a speedy recovery.

I am currently undergoing Orphan Feeder Training at Wildlife Aid so that I eventually will be able to take orphaned Squirrels, Hedgehogs and Fox Cubs home overnight in order to feed them at regular intervals such as their Mother would in the wild, this is so they'll grow healthy and have a great chance for a normal life as a wild animal.

Congratulations Karra!

2010-08-18T17:49:00.000+01:00

Over the past weekend, myself and Karra had been going crazy after we found out that Karra had bagged herself in the top 3 public vote for an incredible life changing competition with a company called Worldwide Experience. The prize up for grabs was a 2 month all expenses paid trip to the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa to be 'The Voice of Conservation', Karra, myself and many others spent the entire weekend earning the public votes and making people aware of the importance of conserving and protecting endangered/ wild animals.

Karra was so dedicated and determined to win over the public that she got me to paint her face like a cheetah and stood in the middle of our very busy shopping town and handed out voting leaflets.

After a long weekend and little sleep, Karra and I heard the great news that she had become 'The Voice of Conservation'. I would just like to say congratulations to a very dear, passionate and well- deserving friend. I know that Karra will do us proud whilst she's out there. To learn more about Karra's journey, you can visit her blog here.

To see Karra's video entry that scooped her the public vote, click here.

I've Got Goose Juice All Down My Arm: My FIRST Wildlife Aid Release!

2010-08-11T08:28:00.003+01:00

It was a regular Monday morning at Wildlife Aid, Karra picked me up, we drove there, She went to ICU and I went to Hospital 2 and everyone got on with tending to all the animals. I chose to do the Hedgehogs again, they were much bigger than last time and had become increasingly grumpy- teenagers eh?! Sophie was doing the outside pens this time around so it was me alone to clean, feed and weigh 20 hedgehogs, I don't think they appreciated being woken up but I'm sure they'll get over it. The hedgehogs were in the Orphan Shed (OS), there were 7 hedgehogs each in OS1 and OS2 and 6 hedgehogs in OS4. Not only were they much grumpier than last time I helped them but they were also much heavier and much much more dirty, I think it took around an hour to do OS1 alone.

Although I love tending to the hedgehogs it was proving to be one of those mornings where everything just seemed to be a stretch, it was so hot, sweaty and there was so much too-ing and fro-ing between the Orphan Shed and Hospital 2.

However, in between all this there was a cheeky little Red Breasted Robin who kept appearing to have a nosey at what was going on, he was hopping about and chirping away and then all of a sudden out of the blue came within a foot of me, I crouched down to say "Hello" and he just looked at me contemplatively; Lucy (the vet nurse- she's lovely btw) was stood aside and smiled as she said to me "He's adorable he is, he'll eat out of your hand", then grabbed a small bunch of meal worms and placed them in my hand. Just as he was about to take the food out of my hand, some volunteers came out of Hospital 2 and startled him and he flew onto the top of the Fox Pens, I tried to approach him again but the moment had passed, so I left the meal worms beside where he was perched and continued to tend to the Hedgehogs. Once they had a clean bed and fresh food and water their mood was instantly uplifted; as was mine- I must admit I felt a little sad that they were grumpy as I had woken them up in order to clean them, but it was worth it to see them happily nibbling away on their breakfast.

During the middle of my shift- somewhere in between the Hedgehogs and the Robin, Karra approached me and asked if I had any plans after our shift had ended at Wildlife Aid, I told her that I didn't have any plans and she informed me that there was a Swan and a Goose to be released at the end of the shift if I wanted to come along, "That'd Be Great" I said- I hadn't yet had the chance to witness a release since being at Wildlife Aid.

As the shift end drew near Mike Berwick and a few of the other volunteers went to bag up the Swan and Goose as I helped ICU do a little end of shift cleaning, I then realised that Karra and I was actually going to be RELEASING the Swan and Goose rather than just going along for the release. I was very excited but at the same time a little nervous as Swans can have a reputation of being 'tetchy'. Mike and Karra assured me that we'll be fine, as Mike appeared with a Swan bagged up in one hand and a Goose bagged up in the other. Tina, Sophie, Carly and I sat with the Swan and Goose whilst Karra went to get directions for the release location from Becky; It is important that we release animals in the same location they were rescued if possible. The release location was the Thames in West Moseley.

Karra took the Swan and I took the Goose, Mike gave us instructions of how to remove the carrying bags once we got to the riverbank and wished us luck on our release. We headed to Karra's car and placed some large towels over the back seat, Karra put the Swan behind the drivers seat and the Goose in the middle seat and I sat on the end, yes; I, a Swan and a Goose were sat in the back of Karra's car.

The release location was about 15minutes drive from Wildlife Aid and the car was incredibly hot, the swan was beginning to get stressed and was panting due to the heat, the Goose was panting and dribbling a little but seemed to be rather enjoying the car journey- although, he didn't appreciate the speed bumps. Throughout the journey I had hold of the Swan's neck as support and also to make sure he didn't go for a nibble at the back of Karra's head, my back really started to hurt as I was leaning over the Goose in order to reach the Swan, so I moved the somewhat calm Goose onto my lap and gently shuffled over the Swan to the centre seat so I didn't cause myself a back injury. The Goose seemed to enjoy that he was now able to see out of the window and the Swan appeared to appreciate that he had better access to the corner of Karra's seat for a little drool and a nibble.

Although to Swan and Goose had now calmed down I could tell they were struggling with the heat, they were both drooling and the Swan was panting. As we got close to the river the Swan started to get excited, so did the Goose- but not before he looked me straight in the eye and then drooled all down my arm...lovely.

Photo by: Karra Rothery

We parked the car, took the Swan and Goose from the back seat and headed towards the river to find a nice release spot. Karra released the Swan first, it was a little struggle to get him out as the bag was so secure; it took a little while to wiggle the bag over his head but he was very calm and patient as he knew we were helping him. He sat down for a second on the riverbank, a little flustered; Karra then encouraged him into the river- and off he went.

The Goose was much easier, I opened the bag and gently lifted it over his head with a bit of a wiggle to make sure he came out, I stood behind him and encouraged him into the water- He was straight in there.
The Goose had only just had the chance to dip his head in the water before 4 other Geese started quacking and calling him over, my face lit up, "It must be family" Karra exclaimed. Off he was like a shot, straight over to the 4 other Geese that called him.

It was a brilliant day at Wildlife Aid and a great first release, I'm very proud to be part of an organization that does such good. Today just goes to show that all the hard work is SO worth while.

To read about the release from Karra's point of view, you can find her blog here: My Animal Journey.

Birthday Blog.

2010-08-06T22:40:00.002+01:00

I just celebrated my 23rd Birthday on 4th August and took a trip back to my roots up North to see my family for the first time since before Christmas. I got to see my Mum, Dad, Nan, Grandad, Brother and my two dogs Charlie and Simba (I like to refer to them as 'Two stupid dogs') You'll probably see why in the video below, I apologize in advance for the somewhat questionable filming.

My trip was short and sweet, the original plan was to go to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for my birthday but due to the constant flow of rain it wasn't worth the risk (I'm getting soft these days seeing as I'm now a 'Southern Fairy'- it's cold up North!), so instead I took the dogs for a walk at the local country park which my Mother claims that her and the dogs take regular visits to but I think it's a fib, simply because if you pull out the dog leads from the drawer the dogs go MENTAL, like embarrassing MENTAL; but dogs need to be walked- Especially as Charlie is a little on the chunky side!

We took a trip into Manchester city centre; just Me, my Mum and my Brother, it was a great day, we just walked around the shops and grabbed lunch but it was lovely to spend some time together which we hadn't done in such a long time, despite my Bro moaning that Mum and I were going around all the 'girly' shops as we browsed the make- up counter's in Selfridges and my Mum doused herself in numerous horrific perfumes; it was rather amusing, especially with my brother being 15 and the age where he is too "cool" to hang out with his Mum and older Sister; the highlight for me was my Mum and I forcing him to try new food: Yo! Sushi of all things. It was interesting to say the least. Then we popped into one of my favourite stores ever, Lush...and my Mum treated me to a generous portion of their products as a Birthday treat. (Lush is an animal and environmentally friendly cosmetics store and they have the most amazing bath and skincare products- they smell incredible and have a huge array of colours), it is a little on the expensive side though.

Before I went up North for my actual Birthday my work friends purchased a wonderful and generous gift for me, I am now the proud adoptive parent of a Dolphin named Stardance whom lives just off the coast of Scotland. And to celebrate, my friends and I took a visit to the Roller Disco in Vauxhall, we all dressed like fools, in a mishmash of silly hats, sunglasses, face paint and neon colours. It was a really fun night and I feel very privileged that I got to spend it with the people I hold dear.

How will you be celebrating your Birthday?